Animal conservation raises

Many questions

How do we deal with animals

If our resources are limited?

What role does commercialization

Play?

Are some animals more valuable

Than others?

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These are some of the questions

Facing the International Union

Of Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

The world oldest environmental organization

As it looks at tigers and lions in Africa

Polar bears and penguins in the Antarctic

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

And vultures in India

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With many creatures

This picture doesn’t look pretty

Tigers and lions have declined

In huge numbers by the thousands

Because of poaching, retributive

Killings, and habitat loss

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Hunters that catch these animals

Use them for commercial purposes

Promoting sport

And claiming trophies

As proof of their accomplishments

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Even some environmentalists

Concede that controlled hunting

Helps to safeguard the future

Of animals by putting 

In effect necessary laws

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That was surely 

The case of of the International

Whaling Commission set up

In 1946, when it was 

Discovered that the whale 

Population was declining

Whaling limits were tightened 

Until there was a complete ban

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Our creatures on what was

Referred to as the “red list”

Include leopards and deer

Where concerns arise

About the trade of their skins

Among other things

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Protection has to be in effect

To try to maintain Indian vultures

That have seen a population decline

Of 97 percent

Because of ingesting synthetic chemicals

That they receive when they feast

On the carcass of animals

Fed with these drugs

To preserve their health

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Our problem should extend

To managing pollution

Climate change, overfishing

And oil exploration

For these activities are affecting

Negatively polar bears and penguins

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Experts have begun

To notice

That these creatures are experiencing

A disruption of their food supply

And in instances starvation

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